Free Moonlit Embrace by Lyn Brittan Page A

me?”
    “I could have killed them, but instead I get shot because I can’t let anyone know what I am. It isn’t right. I shouldn’t have to be scared.”
    “Shhh, that won’t happen again.”
    “You don’t know that, Baron.”
    “I do. I know that I’ll never let anything hurt you. I know that I never believed in finding a Mate before. Up until you, I thought it was lust. Hell, maybe love. The idea of you not being with me...I don’t...”
    He broke off, looking at her and perhaps waiting for her to say something. She couldn’t. Too much. Too soon. He turned her insides to jelly and her heart filled with him, but the risk of heartache and falling too fast hadn’t gone away.
    Baron sighed with a weak smile etched across his face. Silently, massive arms enveloped her and took her to the bedroom. He rocked her while she wept through pain, physical and otherwise. He shook through his own rage, but it comforted her as a balm. He meant it. No one would hurt her again, not as long as Baron was around.
    She tried sitting up when someone howled in fury, but Baron, sweet Baron, gently laid her back down.
    “That’s just your sister making friends again.” Without leaving her side, he yelled at the screaming pair in the living room to get out. Kate screeched something back, but after another series of shrieks, the heavy door slammed shut and the apartment fell silent.

Chapter Eleven
    T he place stank of blood, vomit, sweat, angry wolf, fear and...
    For the briefest of moments, he thought he caught the scent of Wyoming.
    Don’t be stupid.
    Baron sniffed again.
    Not Wyoming, but dragon?
    With Johanna asleep, he addressed as many of these as he could. He hated bleach, it burned his nostrils and watered his eyes, but he couldn’t take the scent of her blood anymore. The couch was a total loss. He’d call and have another delivered soon. The money would come out of the restaurant’s discretionary funds if necessary.
    Scrubbing on his hands and knees, he came across the cop’s business card and took in a deep whiff. Yep, dragon. He hadn’t smelled one of those in years.
    Baron didn’t trust them. No man or wolf could. The whole species was too damned lusty. It’d saved Johanna, but it had also been half-naked.
    Johanna wasn’t the issue, there was nothing but trust there. Even if she hadn’t accepted their Mating, it didn’t make it any less true. The dragon however...he sniffed again and caught the slight seawater scented hint of desire. Baron started dialing, but it was a little tough with all the shaking. How long did you get for murdering a cop? Capital murder went for fifty years? Life?
    “Hello?”
    The gasping voice was female.
    “Who is this?”
    More gasps. “Allison.”
    “Where is Jack Wu?”
    “Inside me.”
    “Okay.” He took a moment to let that marinate. “Right. Tell him it’s Mr. Wolf.”
    The sweet little thing tried, but it trailed off into a groan and a round of ‘fuck me babys’ that left him with a newfound respect for Jack. He should have hung up, but well, the couple on the other end was just getting to the good part. This Allison person’s sex time vocabulary was to be commended. She cried out one final sentence of pure filth, then somebody slapped something juicy and Jack picked up the phone. “Sorry about that. Still there?”
    “Allison?”
    “Who?”
    “The person you’re inside of.”
    “Oh...that’s her name. Hey, how’s our girl doing?”
    “My woman is fine. I called to thank you for bringing her home.”
    “And stake your claim? No worries. She cried for you the whole car ride over. I never had a chance. Now tell me about her sister.”
    “Kate?”
    “No...no, there’s three of them, right? I’ll take the other girl. The one whose head doesn’t spin around when she’s pissed.”
    “Never met her. Look, man, I gotta go, but thanks again. I have a restaurant opening soon. You’ll always have an open seat. Call me back to set it up when you’re not in